Determined to bring a new energy and direction to the franchise, Jaguars owner Shahid Khan dismissed Paul Vance, the team’s general counsel and senior vice president of football operations, on Thursday.

Vance had been with the organization since its inception, having worked closely with former Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver.

“I had said to Shad all through the transaction that it was going to be his team,” Vance said in a phone conversation. “I think when someone buys something like a team and stuff like that it’s his decision what he wants to do. …. I was there 21 years ago in the expansion battle, and went all the way through the other end of it being the sale and stuff like that. At some point there also becomes a right time.”

Khan announced the move, which he made on the first day he had the power to make it, to Jaguars employees Monday morning in an email that greeted most employees when they arrived at work. The auto parts manufacturing magnate was away at the Detroit Auto Show and could not deliver the news in person.

Khan promoted Sashi Brown, 35, to general counsel. Brown has been with the organization since before the 2005 season. He joined the Jaguars three years after graduating from Harvard Law School.

“Sashi will assume the general counsel responsibilities formerly held by Paul Vance, who is leaving the franchise after 18 years of service,” Khan said in an email to staffers that was obtained by the Times-Union. “Paul came to the Jaguars in 1994 and has loyally served the franchise in a variety of capacities, most recently holding the title of Senior Vice President of Football Operations and General Counsel.

“Paul will serve in a consulting role through the end of next year, so we are happy to have continued access to his experience. I ask you to join me in thanking Paul for his many years of service to the Jaguars.”

Vance’s duties included negotiating player contracts and forming the organization’s salary cap strategy, responsibilities he assumed in 2001. That was when he was promoted to the Jaguars senior vice president of football operations once Michael Huyghue left the organization.

Vance was heavily involved in the coaching search in 2003 that led to the hiring of Jack Del Rio. Weaver fired Del Rio on Nov. 29, 2011, after he started the season 3-8.

The language in seven assistant coaches’ contracts states that their contracts expire on Jan. 31, 2012 or “the day after the Jaguars’ last football game of the 2012 season and playoffs,” whichever is later, sources said.

The quirk exists in the contracts of the assistant coaches who were given what were termed two-year extensions before the 2010 season. The Jaguars asked their assistant coaches, except interim head coach Mel Tucker, to turn in grades and clear out their offices by Jan. 6 with the assumption their contracts would expire on Jan. 31, not any later than that.

The coaches met with human resources on Wednesday, Jan. 4, which is when they alerted the Jaguars to the discrepancy between their schedules and their contracts, sources said.

According to a source, when presented with that information, Vance said it was a typo and the intent of the contracts was to expire on Jan. 31, 2012 or the day after the end of the 2011 season, whichever was later. The error could cost the Jaguars up to $4 million.

Vance declined to comment on the situation.

If the coaches’ contracts do terminate after the 2012 season, the Jaguars would be responsible for paying the coaches through then. Most coaching contracts have offset clauses which mean if the coach gets another NFL job, the Jaguars would not be responsible for his full salary.

The coaches were told they will have an opportunity to interview with the new head coach when he is hired. Although the Jaguars’ offensive coaches aren’t expected back, it is possible some defensive coaches will return.

Meanwhile the coaching search continues this week. A CBS analyst reported on Sunday that the Jaguars told candidates they wanted to make a decision by the end of this week. That could change due to the availability of Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, who reportedly wants to wait until after the Broncos are out of the playoffs to interview for another job.

The Jaguars will interview Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey on Tuesday, a source said. Mularkey’s Falcons lost to the New York Giants 24-2 on Sunday. He will be the third offensive coordinator known to have interviewed with the Jaguars. Carolina’s Rob Chudzinski and Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer interviewed last week.

In Cincinnati, Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden told the team website and the Cincinnati Enquirer that he had not been contacted by the Jaguars. Some reports connected Gruden to the Jaguars job last week.

“I have not heard anything,” Gruden said. “I’m just sitting here getting everyone out of here,” Gruden said on Monday. “… I got a couple texts from people that heard I was a candidate for the job but I haven’t heard anything otherwise. I don’t know exactly how it works. I’ll probably find shortly if it is true.”

Khan should replace everyone in the Jaguar organization. from clerks to the top management remaining. Cliques have been built up 'over the years. They will still be loyal to the old way of thinking and performing their duties. Start fresh empty the Jaguar Organization
and look for a new way of thinking. Through out the Jaguar organization may be the feeling just another new owner business as usual.